


The three hares

by WednesdaySawyer



Category: American Horror Story, American Horror Story: Apocalypse
Genre: ;), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Read at Your Own Risk, Time Travel, this won't be your typical story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-08-25 12:13:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16660967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WednesdaySawyer/pseuds/WednesdaySawyer
Summary: Mallory killed him, Mallory saved him, Mallory...Three time lines... and what choices will be made?Mallory goes back in time, to the time where Michael had performed the 7 wonders.Two supremes will face each other. As it should be.





	1. Devil's new playground

She was restless, she first paced around her room, then descended the staircase, and paced around the enormous hallway.

"What’s wrong with her? Has all her magic fried her brain or something?" Queenie whispered energetically, Mallory could’ve heard it from the end of the room.

Both Queenie and Zoe stood by the living room’s entrance, while all the while Mallory paced at the end of the staircase, lifting her eyes every so often.

"I don’t know" Zoe interjected "but she keeps glancing at the front door with such a gaze…"

"It’s like she’s trying to cast a spell to make it go up in flames or something. This is freaky, I’m going-"

"No." Zoe said catching Queenie by the wrist "Can you feel it?"

"You are going to have to be more specific."

"Can’t you sense all the magic in the air?"

"Well, yeah Zoe, it doesn’t take a genius to notice it at a Magic School".

"No. It’s stronger, it’s like…" Whatever she was going to say died in her throat.

The front door of Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies was opened with a mere flick of a wrist. Boys, several of them, filtered in, filling the hallway in almost its' entirety. They were all dressed in the same manner, black suit, white shirt, black bow, with the exception of two older men.

Mallory, caught by surprise, went up a stair, involuntarily. She held herself onto the side of the staircase, resting a hand atop the end of the railing.

She didn’t need to search the crowd to find the familiar face she was looking for, he stood at the very front line, _of course_ , she thought. His hair was shorter, curlier and lighter. She hadn’t seen this _version_ of him. It suited him, she thought, too late to catch herself. But remembering furiously what he had done, right on cue.

They were mere inches apart, eyeing each other, measuring, and making mental unspoken questions, at first that is. Now they were locking eyes, ice blue and warm brown, it was as if they were the only people on the white hall, bathed by a myriad of lights, a mute standoff, on her part, and a dare, on his.

Cordelia and Myrtle appeared, as if summoned by the commotion, and descended the stairs until their midpoint. Needless to say, all the girls at the academy were flanking them, and whispering excitedly “boys”, “it can’t be”, all in the same breath.

"Welcome, boys, to Miss Robichaux's Academy." Cordelia said solemnly.

"How low have we gotten?" Myrtle spat in a low tone.

"Please, behave Myrtle." Cordelia whispered right back, but Myrtle still had a dour look on her face. "If not for me, then for the coven." Cordelia added.

"Fine, I’ll try to do it for _both_." She conceded.

"Thank you, _girls_." Behold said, emerging from the back of the room. "Let us _all_ , play nice." He said offering Cordelia his hand to shake, which she took with both of hers.

"Well, that won’t be a problem, right, Hawthorne?" John Henry said, looking solely at Michael.

It was only then, that he pried away his eyes from Mallory, and mock smiled in response towards John Henry. The dread John Henry felt was a _deja-vu_ he would’ve gladly not recalled it.

 

* * *

 

"Why are there like a bazillion boys walking the halls?" Madison said, while barging into the room. "Not that I’m complaining." She added swiftly.

Cordelia sat behind a spacious white desk, while Myrtle and Zoe stood, flanking her on either side, they were bathed in a halo of light created by the window behind them. Queenie sat on one of the chairs in front of them. Coco sat on an armchair, and Mallory sat on one of its’ free arms.

"Hello to you too Madison, how have you been, but most importantly, what took you so long?" Zoe spat.

"I was held up, I mean, I just got out of hell, there are…"

"No matter–" Myrtle interceded. "I’m still to understand, as are we all, I think, why all of Hawthorne moved to Robichaux's. Cordelia?"

"Well, now that, almost all of us are here-"

"By the way, why are _they_ here?" Queenie said pointing at Mallory and Coco’s direction.

"Mallory is obviously because she is one wonder away from being the next supreme…" Myrtle had started to explain.

"Wait! But isn’t that Michael guy the new supreme?" Coco intervened.

Mallory squirmed inwardly. Not if she could help it.

"A man being the supreme is just…" Myrtle was going to start to rant.

"Him being a man is not truly the issue at hand." Cordelia shut down, and everyone was listening intently to only her, again.

"The problem is whether he’s even a warlock or not." Everyone in the room eyed each other, Mallory looked at the ground. "Misty sensed that there’s something wrong with him, and with what he was able to do, I agree that something is not right."

"So your solution is bringing Hawthorne to Robichaux?" Madison granted.

"In part, _yes_."

"I’m sorry Cordelia-" Zoe finally spoke "but what’s your angle here?"

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. The art of war by Sun Tzu _is_ a masterpiece. But, -" Myrtle’s voice faltered. "– is that what we are discussing here, dear, a war, between witches and warlocks?" She said looking Cordelia in the eyes.

"Not if we can prevent it." Mallory spoke, getting up from her seat and walking to the table. "And I _know_ we can do it." She pressed.

"We are going to have them right under our nose, every single ally Michael might go to, right under our surveillance. Besides, we have one ally on Hawthorne’s side. And, Mallory will complete all the wonders tomorrow." Cordelia continued.

"And then what? Two Supremes under the same roof?" Madison chimed in.

"And _then_ , you’ll just have to wait and see." Mallory held.

"That is, if you really are the supreme." Queenie relented, and Madison nodded.

"There’s no power like hers, child. Don’t speak nonsense." Myrtle chided.

"There’s still one card up my sleeve. _Please_ , trust me on this." Mallory went on.

"We will Mallory." Cordelia said reaching her hands and squeezing them across the table, and just as Madison prepared to rebut, she added . "And if push comes to shove, everyone in this room will be vital if we truly go to a full on war".

"If we go to war, -" Zoe intervened. "– then me, Madison, Queenie, Cordelia and Myrtle will defend us." She said eyeing warmly both Mallory and Coco, but smiling softly at Coco, trying to reassure her. She had seen the way her face had drained of all color at the word _war_.

"Mallory and Coco as well." Cordelia added, not being able to make eye contact.

"Wait. Back up. Is that why Coco is also here?" Queenie questioned.

"We might need her help." Cordelia replied, looking knowingly at Mallory.

"We might need the help from the weakest link in our coven? Color me afraid and appalled, if all we have to defend us is a gluten detector. Even Misty as she is right now would be a better choice." Madison argued.

"She’s right." Coco conceded, hanging her head low.

"Our coven is only as strong as our weakest member. And besides, we are not going in blind. Mallory had a vision of how all of this would play out. Remember, Madison?" Cordelia said looking directly at her.

"How could I forget?" She said exchanging a look with Zoe.


	2. Ashes to ashes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: this is a flashback. But worry not. I will not give an entire season’s worth of them ;)

Mallory stared at the white walls of her bedroom at Robichaux, seating in her bed. In her mind only a white noise like an intermittent buzz.

“Lory? Lory? Mallory! Earth to Mallory?”

Mallory looked to the side to find Coco staring at her instead.

She was _back_. Now all she needed to know was _when_. Her blood practically boiled from all the memories surging back to her. Endless darkness. Falling. The bathtub. A surge of power. All her sisters dead. _Him_. She needed to stop him. Stop the apocalypse from happening.

She swallowed hard, stood up from her bed and walked with purpose towards Coco’s bed sitting right next to her. They were both still in their pajamas.

“Coco, what day are we in?” She asked.

“Oh, hmmm, it’s...”

“No, like what’s going to happen today? “ Mallory said grabbing her elbows that were enveloped in her silky pink pajama suit, a little urgently.

“Uhm. Miss Cordelia, Myrtle and Zoe have to go again to that all boys academy. Is that it?”

“Yes, yes, it is. “ She said almost fervently.

Mallory stilled in her place. What should she do to stop him? He was already a warlock. But, at least for now, she could still prevent one thing from happening.

She practically shot up from the bed.

“I need to call Zoe _now_. “  She was talking to herself.

Coco merely watched astonished and confused, as Mallory trailed away from their bedroom in her white strap top and shorts.

 

***

 

“Madison, can we talk? “Zoe asked.

The whole group went dead silent. And it was very much like the halls of Hawthorne had chosen that very moment for you to be able to hear a pin falling. Cordelia and Myrtle exchanged a look. Queenie regarded Madison and then Zoe, trying to pry what she could.

“Sure. “ She said tentatively, curiosity getting the better of her.

“Don’t go too far girls. “Cordelia cautioned.

They both nodded and stepped away to another room. Zoe closed the sliding doors behind her.

“Ok, bitch, what’s all this suspense for? And if it is for something I did before going to hell, I mean, I went to _hell_. “She motioned pointing downward for emphasis.

“If I wanted pay back for something from before, you would’ve already known by now Madison.”

Madison narrowed her eyes and gave her the fakest smile she could muster.

“I need your help. “ Before Madison could intervene Zoe raised her hand. “Not exactly me. Mallory asked me for help, and this is a two person job.”

“Who’s Mallory? “ Madison asked dumbfounded.

“She’s a very promising student at Robichaux, and even might be the next supreme.”

“Says who?”

“Myrtle. “ Madison couldn’t help the automatic scoff and eye roll “And _me_.” Zoe added.

“Remember when the old ginger hag thought Misty was the next?”

“I know what I’m talking about Madison. I’m sure of it.” She said nodding her head along.

“Fine, even if she asked for whatever favor, I’m holding you accountable for it. I have never even laid eyes on that girl before. But what does she want?”

“She had a vision, much like Cordelia still has her own. We need to go save a warlock from this coven.”

“A warlock?” she almost spit the word back “Are you crazy? They want this random guy to be the next supreme so they can treat us all like trash, and you want to go save one of them?”

“That random guy brought you back. And besides, it’s one of our own that asked us to do this.”

Zoe eyed Madison carefully, and waited.

“I can’t even believe I’m saying this… But, _fine_. I better get some brownie points with the next supreme, right?”

Zoe smiled back at her response.

“So what’s the plan?” Madison asked.

 

***

 

John Henry looked at the old woman that had pulled up next to him, as she asked for help in the middle of that desolated gas station. He had been raised to be polite, and it wouldn’t hurt a thing.

Her small talk proved to be nothing short of weird, but the look of bewilderment on his face when she said she hadn’t been talking about herself had only lasted a second. She dropped her wallet, and he bent down at the same time as she did to help her with it.  When he got it on his hands he looked up to see her with her arm frozen in place, and with a sharp glinting knife in it.

“Uh-huh.” A dark blonde haired girl clad in all black that had materialized out of thin air said, with her hand raised up. She stood a few meters away from them.

Then the old woman with her only free hand grabbed John Henry by his throat. He flailed for a second, before she was thrown across the concrete floor.

“Surprise bitch, guess this will be the last time you see me.” A light blonde girl next to the first one that had appeared said, wasting no time she snapped her fingers and made the old woman go up in flames.

 

***

 

“We have to start Michael.” Ariel said putting his hand on his shoulder.

Michael felt like lighting him on fire, which clearly was showing on his face so he quickly fixed it once he saw the man waver.

“Where are your witches Miss Goode?” Michael asked turning his gaze to her, she didn’t even flinch, it unnerved him how poised she always tried to remain at all times, especially in front of them.

“Whatever do you mean by that?” she inquired back.

“Last time I checked you had two more witches with you.”

“They had to go back to settle some matters at the academy.” Myrtle quickly countered. This did not sit well with Michael. “But everyone that needs to be here for your test, _is_. No need to be so prickly about the absence of one member of the council and a witch who has been brought back a few hours ago from hell itself. _Right_?” The ginger witch said, looking him through the rim of her glasses.

How he detested her calculating persona, she was trying to get something out of his reaction.

“Well if the supreme is here, it’s all that matters after all.” He added with one of his fake brilliant smiles of his, no one but Ariel bought it, and he could not care less. He could feel a move was being made by the witches’ side, but right now he needed to prove his powers to them by performing the seven wonders.

 

***

 

“Lory? What’s going on today?” Coco said weakly, as she eyed the witch.

Mallory came back from her reverie where all the possible scenarios of how everything could turn out were all playing at the same time in her head, and in every single one of them by now she could only see death. She let go of the crescent moon pendant she was holding while she gazed at the emptiness of the room. The fire that crept in the background of the living room wasn’t really warming her, but the sound of it had helped her zone out.  She and Coco sat in the couch.

“I’m sorry Coco, I just have a lot on my mind right now…” Mallory trailed off.

She didn’t really knew how she could explain to her that an entire timeline where she had lived through atrocities and the apocalypse, and the fucking antichrist himself kept creeping out the back of her mind, always, constantly, through her every breath. All her energies right now were focused on this. On knowing his next step, so she could remain ahead. She needed to get into his mindset if she wanted to prevent the death of so many people, and of all her sisters.

She also didn’t know how she could tell her she felt terrible for putting her sisters in danger and lying to them. Telling Zoe that she had a vision of a dying warlock and asking her to prevent it had taken a lot out of her. That’s why she couldn’t help it feeling so on edge.

On an impulse she grabbed Coco by her wrists and locked eyes with her.

“Coco, could you imagine someone made out of pure unadulterated evil?”

Coco stared back with her mouth agape like a fish gasping for water.

“I don’t know. I mean Hitler…” She said with ingenuity.

“Someone that would kill millions of people for his own gain with no remorse whatsoever. Someone that could kill all the witches as well. Someone that has never been kind one day of his life?” Mallory’s eyes were fervently searching hers.

“Someone who has never loved anyone in his entire life?” Coco wagered.

Mallory leaned back in her seat, she now looked at the ground at no point in particular. A new idea was buzzing inside her brain.


	3. Dust to dust

As they set foot into the academy, Mallory descended the staircase and watched from afar.

Cordelia, Myrtle and Misty leaded the large group, Cordelia acknowledged Mallory with a nod.

They stopped and turned their back, now facing Ariel, Baldwin and Behold. Madison, Zoe and Queenie stood behind, by the door of the Academy.

“Well gentleman, I’ll get right to the point of your invitation here.” Cordelia said in the sweetest like tone she could muster.

Ariel smiled nervously. “What right in the middle of the corridor, Cordelia?”

“We do not need men trudging down mud across our hallways. So, yes.” Myrtle countered readily.

“This feels a bit like… an ambush.” Baldwin offered laughing awkwardly.

“Because it is.” John Henry said appearing from within the Academy.

“John…” Ariel had started.

“For the attempted murder of a fellow warlock” Cordelia started imperiously “you are hereby sentenced to burn at the stake.”

“What? This is preposterous” Ariel spluttered. “Has power gone up to your head Cordelia? Now you’re more and more like Fiona, killing your enemies away instead of knowing how to deal with the damage.”

“Then deal with this damage.”

There was the sound of bones crushing, and then a man howling in pain. Other than that it was shocked silence from everyone present. Misty Day had sucker punched Ariel with extreme force.

“That gotta hurt. And believe me, I know she has a mean right hook” Madison offered to Ariel, that was now crouched down in pain and with both hands on his face bleeding profusely out of his nose.

 

***

 

After burning both Baldwin and Ariel, Cordelia was in her office in reunion with Myrtle, Zoe, John Henry and Behold. Mallory knocked softly on the door, and entered shortly after.

“Mallory.” Cordelia said smiling brightly at her.

“Miss Cordelia, I’d like to propose something to the Witches’ Council” Mallory than took a brief breath “and to the Warlocks’ council as well.”

Cordelia eyed Myrtle, she clearly had been caught by surprise she was unsure on what to say.

“Whatever this may be can we not talk about it later, _privately_?” Cordelia attempted.

“Let the girl speak” Behold almost said in one single breath “She has piqued my interest quite a bit. What does a little Robichaux witch want from both councils?”

Myrtle practically sneered at his words, she was about ready to do the second warlock barbecue of the day, which did not go unnoticed by both Cordelia and Zoe.

“You say there’s a boy that will be the next supreme, but I would like to take the test of the seven wonders as well” Behold’s eyes almost shot themselves out of orbit as soon as Mallory finished uttering that sentence.

He looked immediately at Cordelia. “If you are trying to stall Michael’s ascension as the next supreme, I’ll let you know…”

“Calm down” John Henry intervened “That girl is the reason I’m alive right now, the minimum we can do is let her have a shot at it.” Behold eyed John Henry cautiously, but nodded in the end as response.

Mallory smiled despite herself.

That same evening she did wonder after wonder, performing a total of six.

“And now for her last wonder Mallory will perform…” Myrtle trailed off when Mallory raised her hand.

“My last wonder will only be performed when everyone at Hawthorne Academy is here witnessing it alongside our very own witches.”

“She wants to make a spectacle out of herself now?” Behold said. “Just because you only have one wonder left doesn’t mean you’ll be the next supreme.”

Myrtle was ready to go off on him, but Mallory was quicker.

“No, it does not mean I’ll be the next supreme. But I had a vision, a vision where John Henry was viciously murdered, but in that vision I also saw Hawthorne and Robichaux together, merged into one single entity, and all of this because I was the next supreme.”

“Well now I got to agree she’s off her rocker.” Myrtle whispered quietly to Cordelia.

“And to be ruled by who? You? The next female supreme?” Behold inquired.

“No, to be ruled by both the supreme and the alpha, together.” Mallory went on.

“Why not to each their own?” John Henry interloped.

“We could keep each other in check, and for once both sides would be represented.” Mallory retorted.

She could only hope it would be enough. Of course the true reason was to keep _him_ in check, right under her nose. And that’s exactly what she would later say to her coven and John Henry. This equals bullshit was just so she could shut Behold up. Not that it was not a very noble idea in on itself, but witches and warlocks had years and years of petty history between them. Besides Mallory was here to prevent the apocalypse, not to build bridges for a better future among witches and warlocks, even if that was what she could ended up doing inadvertently.

“A vision from a witch is something that should not be ignored.” Zoe intervened.

Mallory thanked her mentally, if there was someone she could always count to be on her side that would be Zoe.

“This will be a rather scandalous act if we go through with it. I mean Jackie O found selling her Valentinos, Yves, and Halstons for cold hard cash scandalous.” Myrtle offered.

“None the less, it would unite all magic practitioners under the same roof, which could prove to be useful under trying times.” Cordelia spoke.

“Well girlie, tomorrow you’ll have yourself the audience that you requested.” Behold conceded “But, this whole merger, fusion, thing,… we’ll see about it once you prove yourself, and once Michael is here for speak for himself as well.”

It was ok. Mallory already had a plan to have Michael eating out of the palm of her hand, or at the very least in a more favorable humor towards her.

 

***

 

**PRESENT DAY**

 

Everyone was rounded up in front of staircase at Hawthorne. Michael was restless, he had no news from Ms. Meade. Something was wrong, _very_ wrong.

Behold appeared and spoke to them. They were going to Robichaux, since Michael was now to be the next supreme, he and Cordelia had reached the agreement that he should now learn from her. At this point in his speech everybody had started to whisper loudly. Warlocks and witches were truly petty enemies, Michael thought. But then he said that all Hawthorne would move with Michael to keep his strength and to not let the witches attempt anything against him. So in short, what he was saying was that Robichaux and Hawthorne were becoming one. Michael almost scoffed. It would be amusing seeing witches and warlocks under the same roof. It would also be easier to get rid of them in one go. It hadn’t gone unnoticed by him both Ariel and Baldwin’s absences.

As they neared the Robichaux Academy, in all of its’ sheer white glory, they stopped at the gate.

“Hello boys.” A familiar voice chimed in.

Dread filled Michael’s stomach. When he turned around, John Henry gave him a big fake smile.

“Missed me Michael?”

 

***

 

He had gone pale when he saw John Henry, but now that they were inside the academy, he had pushed it all down. It wasn’t the time to look weak, especially when they were not on their territory.

As they had entered the pristine white hall and now stood by the enormous staircase, his eyes were drawn to the witch that stood there, the only being besides them in the hall. At least he thought it was a witch.

She was wearing a white flowing dress, which he had notice merely because it was an exception to their all black dress code he had grown accustomed to. Her gold glittering crown also stuck out like a sore thumb. She emanated light naturally. It unnerved him. But her face was scrunched up, she seemed to almost be glaring back at him. He smirked autonomously. Was she dissatisfied that he was the new supreme? He didn’t care much for whatever was the case, it was amusing seeing such a lowly creature thinking she could possibly frighten him by staring him down.

As soon as Cordelia finished her speech, John Henry gave his humorous interjection directed at him, if one could die from rolling their own eyes then he would die very shortly. John Henry really thought he was beyond reproach just because he had survived, but he did not know his wrath and what he would to him right after he found out what had happened to Ms. Meade.

“We will reconvene in the garden ten minutes from now, there’s something else I must tell all of you.” Cordelia added.

Michael felt a coil around his neck contorting excruciatingly tight. Did they know? Were they going to kill him in front of the covens? Is that why they were merging the academies?

He felt the weight of a hand on his forearm. He looked down. The witch from before held onto him.

“Let’s go to the garden?” She offered with a smile. Mallory had seen the panic rise in his face, she would make sure he wasn’t going anywhere. 

Michael could only see an executioner behind her façade, was she the one who would pour gasoline over him?

“Come on Michael” He felt John Henry’s hand on his shoulder and almost flinched, but as soon as he saw it was him he prevented himself, he would never give him the taste of seeing him fearful “we don’t have all day, let’s go.”

He did not utter a word once. As soon as they got to the garden the girl let go of his arm and walked straight to Cordelia’s side.

“It is true that Michael is the alpha, he has done all the seven wonders and even brought back several of my girls.” She hugged Misty tighter, she stood on the opposite side of Mallory.

“But there’s also a rising supreme at Robichaux.” She offered her hand to Mallory. “Mallory is one wonder away from being the supreme elect.”

There were low whispers. Both councils and Mallory and Misty were facing the students. Behold beckoned Michael to come to his side. He did so, robotically, even if he had calmed down he still very much felt like a trapped prey. He hated how he did not know anything that was happening right before his eyes. Having no control disagreed badly with his temper, he tightened his jaw and focused on Mallory almost boring holes.

“The last wonder she’ll perform will be _vitalum vitalis_.” Myrtle declared.

Madison walked towards her with a jar in hand. Michael could hear her saying to Mallory “You better be the next supreme after half of the shit I had to pull for you. Also wipe those boys’ smiles right off of their faces. Knock ‘em dead.” Mallory smiled in return.

She moved to the center between both groups and emptied the contents of the jar unto the grass. It was ash. She put both her hands over it, closed her eyes and focused. And then... it was like Michael’s throat had closed up, he did not even knew how he kept breathing.

He ran to her. To Ms. Meade. She had appeared out of the ash. He hugged her tightly. He cried. He was all nerves and motion, he could not even process anything else other than her there and alive.

“It’s ok Michael” she kept saying hugging him back.

Mallory rose from the ground slowly. She kept looking at the scene before her in utter disbelief. She had a plan. She did. But she had never cogitated the possibility of this kind of reaction from him. Not when anything she knew from him was the blood bath he had made out of her sisters.

She was appalled. He could look like a little lost boy. He could cry from happiness. He could show true feelings. The antichrist loved someone after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... yeah this was what I meant with the Coco and Mallory convo. :/  
> Also... why did the show not use Misty more? Ugh. But anyway it's not like they resurrect her to be killed in seconds like Laveau. Or Zoe who had almost no lines at all the entire season. She was also part of the council of witches for crying out loud. *Rant over* Oh. And we do not talk about how Michael's death was the most underwhelming thing ever. Or how the outpost battle was so bland. We need to remain sane after all. :)


	4. The darkness to her light

 

“Why did your supreme elect brought back the woman that tried to kill me? Is she trying to buy a fight between our covens? Because I feel like that was a personal attack.” John Henry fumed.

They were at Cordelia’s office, both councils: John Henry and Behold, Myrtle, Zoe and Cordelia. Everybody else had been left to their own devices. Meaning Michael was with Meade while Madison and Queenie kept them company, or, as Myrtle had stated, made sure John Henry wouldn’t have a stroke just because a middle aged woman was left unattended. While Mallory was in her room waiting for Cordelia to come to speak with her.

“Think logically. She saved you so she could bring back the woman who tried to kill you to actually do it this time?” Zoe offered calmly.

“I understand my pupils’ actions haven’t been the sanest ones, but…” Cordelia breathed heavily. “I truthfully think her intentions are the purest.”

“Mallory is like a white dove trying to carry the heavy olive branch of peace across two very intransigent and blind groups.” Myrtle declared softly.  “You can keep your eyes shut or accept it and actually try to help our two new rising students.”

“Well, now that you’ve started to speak about Michael. What are we going to do about him? The woman who raised him tried to kill me.” Behold was ready to defend Michael, but John Henry disregarded him entirely. “Which is actually beside the point. There is something _very wrong_ with that boy. And we need to figure it out what it is before it’s too late.”

“I’ll try to dig out everything I can. I have already started doing that as soon as he started to demonstrate the powers he has, but I have come up empty until now. As soon as I get any lead I’ll communicate it to both councils.” John Henry and Behold both nodded. “But as for right now, we need a plan for both academies to get along with each other. So does Hawthorne has any suggestions?”

 

***

 

Mallory sat crossed legged on her bed with her back planted against the board. She kept fidgeting with her fingers and staring at nothing in particular. She was still recovering from the aftershock. She needed to focus. Dearly so. But doubt kept creeping in. Just as she thought she was going to merely gain his favor or good graces from saving his associate, he really truly undoubtedly loved her. Like any other human would. She had thought he was fond of her, he had brought her back as robot after she had burned at the stake after all, it had to mean something, she never thought it would be on this magnitude though. When she had talked with Coco, and got this idea she never truly thought love would be the actual emotion at its’ core.

Somehow after the showdown in outpost 3 she wasn’t able to fully recall what he used to look like. Her mind had created a mesh part man part monster, a boogeyman to haunt her incessantly during every hour of this new timeline. Now that she thought about it she didn’t know much about him, other than what he had done to his sisters, the apocalypse, what he had done to outpost 3. Bile rose in her stomach. She could almost taste the venomous apples all over again. They had practically almost not spoken to each other. That is other than that terrifying interview where his face had mangled into a nightmarish pale figure and she had almost blown out the whole room. The way he talked, the way he walked, even the way he just stood in place had no correlation with what little she had been able to see so far. Maybe the antichrist needed to look as harmless as possible until he could just exude power effortlessly.

Harmless? She almost wanted to slap herself. He was everything but that. Seeing him cry shouldn’t have shaken her. Not like this at least. She had been so sure until now. She was here to get him killed that was it, the sole purpose, not to see him behave so candidly. Maybe it was all an act, all that she saw in the garden. She would much rather accept that. That didn’t tug her heart or made her stomach drop to the floor with remorse. He was a beguiling creature that was what the antichrist was meant to be. She could not drop her guard down just because she saw what seemed to be one innocent act out of his part.

She remembered how she held onto his arm directing him to the garden. She had almost given up on doing it, but she needed to be sure he wouldn’t just run for the entrance to never be seen again. First her hand tingled, then her insides twisted with repulsion at the mere contact with the fabric of his uniform, of the heat radiating out of him. She had noticed how pale he had become, that gave her the comfort that she was not the only one dreading that moment.

 She needed to be just like him. Just like he was in outpost 3: calm, calculating and sure. After all, what kept her from losing her sanity was to think of the ways she would get rid of him. All she needed was a good opportunity to incapacitate him and be done with it. Be nice and clean about it. Only Behold would make questions, but she could pull the antichrist card. Meade would have to go, she could be nowhere near the academy, but that was easy, John Henry would made sure of it. As soon as Meade was gone all she needed to do was to get him alone and give him a taste of his own poison. For a second she thought she would revel in it, seeing him dying slowly, all life leaving those icy blue eyes.

She heard a knock at the door. She got up from the bed almost at the same time.

“Yes Miss Cordelia…?” Her throat closed as she laid eyes on her visitor.

And speaking of the devil, his son was right there at door.

She wasn’t ready for this, she did not even knew how to react properly. Much to the rise of her nerves she was frozen in place.

“Are you in time out?” Michael cooed, closing the door behind him and walking towards the foot of her bed.

She kept herself almost glued to the wall. All distance from him was welcomed with open arms right now. He was eyeing her, the cogs on his head turning, then it dawned on her that this was the interview all over again. He was looking for it: darkness, breaking points and anything he could use against her. But he was still yet to reach his prime so Mallory relaxed slightly. _Two_ could play this game.

“Not exactly.” She said curtly.

He smiled only slightly, and put his hand on the end of her bad, stepping to the side and walking a few steps over. He was doing it again, his little game of getting in your face making you acknowledge his presence no matter what.

“Shouldn’t you be with… hmmm….” She trailed off.

“Ms. Meade.” He offered his eyes glinting with the light pouring in from the window.

“She is with Madison and Queenie. Even if Madison did kill her she would not do it again without orders from Cordelia. And I asked Ms. Meade to behave, obviously.” The mirth in his voice was palpable.

He was amused by all of this. It was like they were dancing his favorite song, step by step. He thought he knew who was leading this. She smirked right back. He reeled in for a second, taking in her reaction.

“Ms. Meade and I had the most enlightening little chat while we caught up.” He put his hands behind his back, between his words he would look at her trying to determine what made her tick. “Now Ms. Meade told me that Madison and the other brunette scrawny witch killed her. But why kill her to then bring her back?” He cocked his head to the side with the best most innocent inquiring look he could muster. “You don’t seem the type to show off.” He eyed her up and down. “No, you aren’t.” He declared without any shadow of doubt. “Are you Mallory?” He said her name tasting each syllable, she shuddered, not being able to pinpoint the reason. He had asked that question as if trying to challenge her to change his mind.

“We merely wanted to save a warlock, collateral damage was unnecessary.” She said coldly in a matter of fact fashion.

He shrugged his shoulders slightly and narrowed his eyes, he wasn’t buying it not for even a second. So she walked a few steps towards him and eyed him directly.

“Anyone could’ve brought her back, even _you_ , that’s true.” She said with mock disregard towards his powers. “But what better way to merge the schools together than for the supreme elect to give a gift to the alpha?”

He smirked in response, but somehow she could see through his countenance he was still weighing it all in.

“Making me have a debt towards you in front of everyone. _Cunning_. You are a calculating little witch bitch after all.”

If he was trying to get a rise out of her, he was going to be sorely disappointed. She breathed in slowly, and then walked towards him, sidestepping.

“And who are you Michael?” She said locking eyes with him, and then finished circling him.

He moved, following her, and facing her all the while. Now she had her back to the door of the room, and if needed she had a quick exit route.

“Who are you Mallory?” He said unclasping his hands from his back. “The supreme elect?” He mocked.

She narrowed her eyes, he was trying to find her pulse again.

“Who are you Michael?” She pressed with disdain in her voice.

“The alpha.” He said without a second thought.

Then she walked towards him, they were now toe to toe. She looked into his blue eyes searchingly.

“Who. Are. You. Michael?” She said each word with a prolonged interval.

Confusion flooded those icy oceans. While her warm brown ones crinkled at the edges as a smile blossomed in her face. He would almost appreciate it, if he wasn’t being taunted by her. He scoffed and broke visual contact with her, to recompose himself.

“In the end, I don’t think I really know what to make of you Mallory.” He countered.

He know eyed her cautiously. As if making sure she wouldn’t scald him again with her words.

“Good.” She retorted smiling even more brilliantly. “Better to keep it that way.” She said in a lower voice.

He looked at the way his own face overshadowed hers. How her eyes gleamed with a self-satisfied glee. She had him right where she wanted him, he decided he liked it, but he could not indulge her too much.

“There’s this darkness in you…”

“Yes there is.” She cut him off. She almost wanted to scream: _You put it there_. “And you should be afraid.” She emphasized each word and Michael got lost in the way her lips curved with every sound, instead of the sneer they implied.

He looked back at her eyes.

“No need to be so cold Mallory. We’ll have to work together after all.” He said as if that was supposed to give her any comfort.

She hardened her face, which clearly annoyed him.

“Anyway, I only wanted to come here to say that I value what you did. Even if your intentions were for your own self gain or whatever gain you had.”

Then he leaned in towards her. She froze in place like a statue.

“What are you doing?” He recoiled instantly at her words.

He smiled darkly, but then his face softened, so much so Mallory had a sense of _deja-vu_ as if they were in the garden again.

“Just wanted to say thank you properly.” He said innocently.

Mallory stood frozen.

He leaned in, tentatively this time, in what seemed to take excruciating hours for Mallory, she could hear the wind rustling the curtains by the window, she even thought she could hear the stillness on that floor of the academy, and then she felt his lips brushing her cheek. As soon as his warmth disappeared she eyed him as he backed away ever so slowly. If he was trying to gauge a reaction with this, she would not let him have that pleasure.

“Thank you” He whispered near her ear, still with his face barely touching hers.

Then she saw his eyes darken and he leaned in once again now kissing the corner of her mouth. Her eyes went wide and her hands curled up to fists.

“Very much” he said, batting his long lashes, still too close for comfort.

Then his eyes went to the door.

“John Henry.” Michael acknowledged. The tone of annoyance did not escape anyone in the room.

Mallory stepped back as if scalded, looking right back at the intruder.

“John Henry.” She breathed.

“Mallory. Michael.” He said eyeing each of them.

Mallory eyed the floor, she was so mortified by everything that she did not knew what else to do she was still reeling in bad.

“I was just having a little chat with the supreme elect.” Michael said cutting the tension that had started to build in the room. “My curiosity just had to be _quenched_.” Even if he was not facing Mallory, she could almost picture his face saying it. “I’ll leave you two alone now.”

He walked away like a satisfied cat. But he did not leave the room before eyeing her one more time, before his eyes cut right through her, before her breath hitched in her throat. She wanted to wipe that grin right out of his face with her bare hands.

“Mallory, you should be careful around Michael.” John Henry had started to admonish her.

“You should mind your own business John Henry.” She said sternly. “Isn’t that what almost got you killed?” She locked eyes with him, releasing all the pent up frustration she had gotten out of that conversation.

She saw his startled expression, but right now she did not have the headspace to care. She simply stormed off.

 

***

 

“What did you do Michael?” Meade asked eyeing him up and down.

He was grinning like a child with a shining new toy to play with.

They were in the leaving room, talking in hushed tones, while Queenie and Madison talked about something else by the entrance.

“Nothing much. Just went in to say hi and thank the new supreme elect, that’s all.” He finished with a grin.

Meade move her hand cupping his face.

“Careful with that girl.” She said tightening her hold, his smile evaporated instantly. “No need to make friends with the enemy.”

“She brought you back. I have to bow down and be humble, I cannot afford to be an ingrate right now. So will you calm your nerves?” He said severely.

She looked right into his eyes, trying to weigh in his response.

“Don’t toy around with that girl Michael, she’s dangerous. I can feel it.”

“She’s the next supreme, those aren’t news.” He countered right back.

“All the more reason you should just get rid of her” Michael moved away from her grasp. “-and make sure the witches and the warlocks take you in as their supreme.”

He looked very irritated now.

“What if she helps me?”

“What?!” Now Meade was restless. She had to remember to keep a low tone even though she wanted to berate him. “Are you out of your mind? Do you really think she’ll betray her kind?”

“I could always try to persuade.” He smiled inwardly. That upset her. “And if she doesn’t, she doesn’t. She’s not the next supreme yet. Killing her should be like swatting a fly”

Meade fell into silence. She did not like any of this, but she also knew she could not press him now that he had put this idea in his head. All she could was watch from afar, right until the moment she would have to act.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are calling Cordelia THE supreme and Mallory supreme elect. Just to avoid confusions.


	5. The light to his darkness

 

Another day at Robichaux Academy and Michael was about ready to raise chaos. The light that poured from the window of the bedroom like a gold fountain making all the bedroom an immaculate irritating pure white glared in his eyes. William had already gone down to have breakfast before class started, which was rather a change of habit given how he never once got on time at Hawthorne. But Michael had other impending occasion before that. He got up and trudged through the bedroom with a slow pace. He needed a new plan of action to make both warlocks and witches alike disappear. He needed to prod Mallory until he could measure and weight the sort of darkness that she carried. He almost smiled at the thought. If it were to be anything like their last conversation where she had pushed his creativity on ways to break her calm demeanor, then he could not wait to repeat it.

It wouldn’t be hard to get near her, after all they were almost signed up to be together 24/7 given their unique status. Besides, the alpha and the supreme needed to appear to be in somewhat good terms if the Robichaux-Hawthorne alliance were to last. It would indeed be amusing getting on every last bit of her nerves.

He showered and dressed in his Hawthorne uniform at his leisurely pace. Then he marched on towards Cordelia’s office. And there she was, in all her glory. Mallory was leaning on the wall next to the double-doors, she tapped her foot impatiently and fussed with the long lacey black sleeves of her dress. As soon as her eyes laid on his she straightened herself and pulled away from the wall.

“Don’t they teach you at Hawthorne that being on time is common courtesy?” She said annoyed.

“And good morning to you too.” Michael responded smiling right back.

Mallory merely rolled her eyes.

“What? You already missed me? Or did you thought I had made a run for it?” He said amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Why would the alpha run from anything?” She said turning away from him and knocking on the door.

They both entered the office and sat in front of Cordelia.

“I wanted to have this little reunion with both of you because of a very simple reason, neither of you is above any other student at this academy. You are both under the exact same set of rules. Maybe even stricter because you have more powers and should learn how to think before acting, _always_.”

Michael was itching to point out all the inaccuracies in that speech of hers. How if they were the same, then why were they skipping class right now without any consequences? Why should they be stricter with them?

Then he looked at the way Mallory seemed to drink her every word, how Cordelia’s presence was enough to change her whole demeanor. He almost felt jealous. It was like she was staring at the sun, warming herself with the rays of light. Her smile was more beautiful too, with no hesitation, just pure unaltered adoration. Was that the way he looked at her?

“Miss Cordelia, I’ll try to be the best role model I can be. I just don’t know what I can do?”

“You don’t need to do anything Mallory, just believe in the powerful person that you are.”

Cordelia reached towards Mallory’s hands across the table squeezing them lightly, and they smiled at each other affectionately. So that was what Cordelia meant to her, the same Ms. Meade meant to him. He missed her suddenly, she had already left the Academy yesterday, being able to pay visits if they were announced, if not then she wouldn’t be able to set foot in it with all the wards John Henry had cast. He couldn’t exactly say that he was against that measure but he would wait very patiently for John’s guard to go down.

He pried his eyes away from their entwined hands, and saw how both of their gazes were on him, expecting his answer.

“Of course I’ll do my best to honor Hawthorne.” Standard flattery, but he did not want to overburden himself with a dignified answer.

 

***

 

Once they had left the office Mallory did not even direct a word towards him, simply almost vanishing out of the corridor. Michael paid no mind at the time, she couldn’t run very far or cut all of her classes.

Now that all the students stood inside the classroom and listened to Zoe, he noticed how Mallory had been almost the last person to get there and how she stayed in the back, in the complete opposite direction to his.

Zoe explained how they were to be partnered up for this assignment, where they had to go to the garden to collect all the herbs necessary for the potion she had in bold letters underlined in the board. But before they could start to pick partners, a boy from Hawthorne spoke, Michael recognized him vaguely.

“Shouldn’t the alpha and the supreme partner up? After all, I’d actually like to see if they are really all that. I mean, don’t get me wrong, but for the first time we got two of them, maybe anyone can be supreme nowadays?”

He didn’t really noticed if Mallory had used teleportation or if in the time his blood started to boil had she crossed the entire room to stand at his side.

“Good idea Peter.” She said putting a hand on Michael’s shoulder, he tried to keep up his façade, but he couldn’t stop himself from softening ever so slightly. “Michael and I will do this one together. For both of the academies.” She said smiling, but without it quite reaching her eyes.

Once they got in pairs into the garden, he noticed how Zoe kept eyeing them carefully. Clearly the witches were still trying to reach for something. He still needed to be careful.

Once they were out of earshot, Mallory suddenly turned around, mere inches from his face.

“Why are you always like this? Why do you just react without thinking?”

He took in how her eyes widened and how she set her jaw so tightly he was afraid she was going to break a bone, but more than that he just stared at her for a good minute.

“What is this really about Mallory?” He started softly, Cheshire grin showing up uninvited on his face. “Want me to talk to John Henry about yesterday?”

“No, I don’t” She responded immediately.

“What? It’s not like I’m going to try to kill him again.” He said without evading it.

She had made herself clear on what her thoughts were towards him, and besides it was not secret to all of the covens.

“No, you just want to make friends.” She said cynically crossing her arms and taking a step back.

“Do you want to be my friend Mallory?” Michael said inching forward.

“You and I can never be friends” She said in a whisper but determined, as if it were written in stone. It gave Michael chills, but he decided to ignore them. “And whatever happened yesterday doesn’t matter.”

With that she turned away and began to walk. He walked ahead of her and looked her in the eyes.

“Well I can tell you I did not do it on a mere impulse.” He said voice low but stern.

Her cheeks reddened visibly, he decided he liked the way it tinted her skin not only on her face but also slightly on her neck. She walked past him, shoulder bumping hard against his own.

He followed her in silence. Until Coco appeared excitedly with Misty by her side.

“Lory, you won’t believe how good Misty is at this.” Misty smiled shyly. “I can’t believe I got partnered up with the best student for this task, I mean no offence.”

Michael rolled his eyes, which did not go unnoticed by Mallory. The level of shallowness that Coco Vanderbilt St. Pierre was, was enough to create a small empty vortex. He did not know how she had gotten into Mallory’s good graces, or even how she had kept herself in them. But what irritated him the most, was that maybe he had to be graceful enough to ask her for pointers if he truly wanted to make Mallory even agree to be in his presence without being coerced.

“Why do you let her call you that stupid name?” He asked as soon as they had left. “You are no little bird. Right, Mal?” He smirked.

He loved the ways he could get under her skin. Sometimes the simplest things truly were the best.

“She’s my friend Michael, something you can’t comprehend.”

He mulled it over while they walked.

“Isn’t Cordelia also your friend?”

He could tell she was getting tired of their little small talk, but she also seemed to be feigning disinterest to make him drop it, which had the exact opposite effect.

“Miss Cordelia is our mentor. But yes, I’d like to also count her as a friend.”

“But won’t you get tired of being supreme elect?”

Mallory stopped immediately, and when she faced him, he saw how all of her face had darkened in a mixture of worry and confusion.

“I mean your presence alone is draining her of her powers and killing her slowly. So why not just kill her to be the next supreme?”

He could’ve phrased in a better way, and maybe had sounded less like they were discussing what they’d eat for dinner, but he also liked how all of her reactions came unbidden right on her face.

“Do not ever say that out loud again.” She wasn’t suggesting it, her tone had gotten stone cold again.

“Why not Mallory? What are you so afraid of?” He genuinely wanted to know so badly.

“What am I afraid of Michael? You don’t just kill people to get on ahead in life. You don’t just not care what those people mean to others.” Her tone had risen while she angrily spoke.

“Well news flash Mallory: all people have darkness in them. All people have wished ill on someone at least once in their lives.” His own voice had matched hers no matter how much calmer he wanted to be.

She sighed not even looking at him. He held her elbow to make her look at him.

“We could be a great team together. You and I…” She interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

“We are nothing alike.” She said in a cold definitive tone. “And is that all you want? To see the darkness in me? In everyone? Is that what makes you happy?” She asked genuinely waiting for an answer.   

“All people, if given the right pressures or stimulus, are evil motherfuckers.” He said contempt dripping out of his words.

 “Is that what you think of yourself?” Mallory whispered softly, her eyes searching his.

He could hear the birds, and the rustle of the wind on the leaves of the trees, he could also hear the water of the fountain nearby, he could also hear the hushed breathes she took.

And then the clearing of a throat.

“It’s time to get back inside. Zoe had an urgent council meeting to attend.” Queenie said.

He could not tell how long she had been there, and that seemed to be one of the thoughts on Mallory’s head as well.

“Is everything all right?” Mallory pressed.

“Yes it seems to just be about some Hawthorne-Robichaux student conflicts.” Queenie said, her face and tone betraying nothing.

 

***

 

On his other classes Michael noticed how Mallory seemed to always keep tabs on him. As if she was trying to get the right moment. He had also noticed how the faculty seemed to be rather enthralled by his every move. He could not give a step without them being all over it. He did not like it. But it was understandable, they should still be digging for something on him. He had to move faster.

So because he knew she was watching, he went into the greenhouse. Once there, he lounged in one of the garden chairs. Their next class would be about witch lore with Myrtle, so he would much rather sleep it off or rile up Mallory, either way he would be better off than to have to listen to the old bat droning on and on. He closed his eyes and tried his best to doze off.

First he sensed someone watching, but that was not new, then he heard it, not footsteps, but a light rustling right next to him. He opened his eyes slowly, Mallory was leaning down, with a dagger in hand hovering over his heart. As soon as she noticed him awake, it was like all air had been knocked away from her. Then she went right for it, but he caught her hand, and threw her on the chair switching positions with her, as she lay under him. He kept squeezing her wrist tighter to make her drop the blade and pinned her down at the same time as she thrashed below him. But suddenly he relaxed.

“Why kill me so half-heartedly Mallory?” He said between shallow breaths. “If you want to do it properly you need to shove the dagger right into my heart.” He said guiding her hand. “No hesitations whatsoever.” Then he pressed her hand down gently.

“Stop.” She said through greeted teeth.

“Why Mallory?”

“Just stop!” She said weakly as tears stained her face.

“Just stop.” She sniffled as she opened her hand and the dagger hit the ground with a thud.

Michael let go of her wrists, and hugged her. She didn’t resist, she merely stiffened for a second, before resting her chin in the crook of his shoulder and holding him back, she then sobbed loudly. And he let her go through the motions, he let her cry her eyes out. And then when she had calmed herself he pulled back, gently tugging the hair that had fallen on her face behind her ear. He decided he liked how her lips had reddened, they almost looked cherry red. After prying his eyes from her lips he looked at her pretty doe eyes, and she parted her lips slightly, looking right back at him, tears still glinting. He bent down half way, maintaining eye contact, waiting for her reaction, but her hands simply slid from his shoulders into the lapels of his jacket, and she tugged him down gently. He couldn’t help but smile, before his lips pressed down on hers, and then he tugged at her bottom lip, nipping and nibbling. She moved under him, angling herself better, he was hyper aware of how her hips were touching his own, of how thin the fabric of her dress was, of how it was ridding up her legs. He felt her tongue ravaging his mouth, he felt her hand tugging his curls in a fistful. He tried to respond his best by cradling her face with one hand, while the other slid down her arm, and then her waist, right down to her leg, until the last bit of lace ended letting him feel the warmness of her skin.

She parted from him then, breathing heavily, and pushing him away. He got off of her, unwillingly. He looked at her as she got up on shaky legs, her hair mussed and her face and neck red. She gathered her dressed, trying to arrange it the best she could.

“Why don’t you just give in Mallory?” He rasps softly, as he leaned against the counter of the table. He was spent, but it wasn’t enough, it was more like he had got drunk or high but got cut off in the middle. His lips still throbbed, his face still felt warm from her, and his tongue still tingled. She merely looked at him like a deer in the headlights. “ _Take_ what you want. _Have_ what you want.” He drawled roving over her, but not moving an inch closer.

She let go of the skirts of her dress and arranged her hair quickly, before also putting back on her face of disinterest. She got to the door, but before leaving she locked eyes with him.

“When I said I knew who you were, I meant it Michael.” She said, leaving him in a graveyard silence.

 

***

 

She felt like she had something under her skin that kept clawing at her, after she had left Michael in the greenhouse. While everyone talked energetically at dinner, she couldn’t help but notice his absence. The aftershock of kissing him had not made her have butterflies every time she thought of him, or made her smile without reason. It made her numb and confused. Like everything else was moving at a different speed that her mind could not process. She felt like she was betraying everyone around her. All those innocent smiles, that beautiful laughter. She could not bear to look at anyone in the council. Cordelia was like her mother, Myrtle her grandmother and Zoe her sister. She could not bear if they ever looked at her disapprovingly. As if she had failed them.

She couldn’t eat her food either, so she excused herself and got up from the table. She needed to lay down. Lay down and never wake up sounded too nice all of a sudden, she thought. She climbed the stairs slowly. Maybe she shouldn’t have told him that she knew who he was, that had started to gnaw at the back of her mind. Would he get rid of her? It would be easier than having her foiling his plans. Having anyone in the coven knowing he was the antichrist was the same as being a match away from the pyre.

As she walked slowly she bumped against someone, not really seeing who it was, she looked down to see Ms. Meade. She thought she felt her blood pressure dropping. She really did not need to see Michael or anyone related to him right now.

“Oh, hello dear. You were the nice witch that brought me back, right?”

Mallory couldn’t even force a fake smile at this time, she simply nodded back.

“Maybe you should learn to keep your hands to yourself.”

Mallory’s face scrunched up in confusion.

“What?” Her words died in her throat.

She felt cold metal pierce her abdomen, it was like she was in outpost 3 again, and Coco’s boyfriend had stabbed her again. She slid down the wall behind her.

“You little whore, trying to throw him off his path. Did you really think Michael would succumb to sweet words and fluttering lashes?”

She felt cold. She wanted Cordelia grabbing her shoulders and telling her to hold on. She felt a tear escape her eye, maybe she deserved this. Then her vision blurred and she could only see black emptiness, and it was like falling asleep, like someone was flipping a switch down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me, have this cliffhanger instead. Byeeeeee ;)


	6. Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice

She felt warm. Like she was enveloped in light, and the pain was all gone. She sighed softly blinking rapidly at the light filtering in the room.

“Oh my god Mallory. You are finally awake.” It was unmistakably Coco that had spoken, even if her earing still felt odd, like she was at the bottom of a well.

Coco held her hand, Mallory didn’t try to get up her body seemed to weight a ton she tried to adjust to the luminosity of the room.

“What happened?” She rasped slowly.

“Well… for starters you died.”

She tried to get up from the bed, but Coco forced her to lie down.

“Listen to me first, please. Everything is under control.”

“I died.” She said weakly, and Coco nodded. “How can everything be under control? What happened to Michael? What is the coven doing?” She grew restless.

“Lory…” Coco said sorrowful.

Images of Meade flashed in her mind, her voice echoing. She stilled. Maybe Michael had asked her to kill her? Maybe Mallory had gone too far. She started to feel her chest clenching in on its’ own, she felt tears welling up. She started a muffled cry. She sat slowly on her bed and Coco hugged her.

“He brought you back.”

“What?” Mallory said tearing away from Coco, to be able to see her face again.

“Michael. He was the one who brought you back. He even cleaned up that mess, I mean your blood, in the hallway. I had to keep watch. William brought you here while he and I took care of it.” Coco looked at her expression. “Do you not remember anything?” She said softly.

Her memory was all bits and pieces, but she believed that if she thought hard enough she could remember. She could remember his hand on her face before he left her here on her room, alone with Coco. The way it had traced her profile so lightly, as if she were about to break from the touch. She could remember his cold hands trembling around her face, and before that she had felt his power like a crashing wave and she was completely under it. She thought she heard him crying first before she was even able to open her eyes, but she was sure she felt his forehead against hers as he whispered “no” and “I’m so sorry”. Then as Meade approached them, he lowered his gaze before turning away to look at her fully. “You need to leave, I don’t ever want to see you again.” She knew they spoke more than that but her memory was very hazy there. She also knew that she ended up leaving, and then Coco and William appeared. She vaguely thought she tried to say his name and get his attention, but he said some words in Latin and her vision cut to black. She told Coco what she could to make her calm her nerves.

“So that’s what happened. That bitch. You should’ve left her for dead.”

Mallory squeezed her hand for attention before she could go on with her rant.

“You said everything was under control.” Mallory pressed.

“Yeah, no one knows about it. Everyone was still having dinner, and after dinner most people went to town to the bar.” But then she stopped, and switched with Mallory, putting her hands under hers. “But why all the secrecy? Shouldn’t Miss Cordelia know about this?”

Mallory pressed her lips into a tight line.

“Maybe it’s best this way.” She conceded. “If she ever found out Meade would for sure burn at the stake.”

“Why are you protecting her? Is it for Michael’s sake? I mean I don’t want to pry, but the way he acted… it was more than just helping a friend.” Coco said nervously.

“I…” Her breath caught in her throat. “I don’t really know myself.”

“Well you should try to get to the bottom of that. But you should also know, he didn’t set foot here again since last night.”

“Wait? Did I miss all the classes?” Mallory said panicked.

“Yes, and I did too. We have a severe indigestion because we had a sleepover last night and ate too much shit.” She offered smiling.

“Has anyone from faculty been here?”

“Only Madison. It was easy to scare her off, just making some throwing up noises made her not even enter the room.” She said satisfied with her deed.

“Thank you Coco.” Mallory said locking eyes with her and then proceeded to hug her.

“I don’t know what I would do without you.” Coco sniveled into her shirt.

“Me neither.” Mallory retorted back.

 

***

 

She had spent the entire day in her bedroom thinking. Which was rather unhealthy. But the only conclusion she could reach was that she was afraid. For the first time since she came back she did not knew what came next, until now she had a over-all feel and the timeline in general seemed to have kept itself in place. But her and Michael… she did not knew how to take it.

She did not knew what to think of what happened at the greenhouse, nor did she seem to know how to stop thinking about it now. It made her restless, and each and every time she blamed herself for how she should’ve not encouraged such a behavior. Or how she should had not enjoyed every second of it. She thought she might be losing her mind, maybe time travelling had robbed her of all of her good sense.

Now she sat on her bed, contemplating if she should go to class or not. Coco passed in front of her and paused at the door.

“Lory, you did nothing wrong. And besides no one knows what happened.” She marched towards her and pulled her along.

No one knew besides _him_. How should she react when they saw each other again? They needed to talk, right? Was she supposed to say she was sorry about what happened? No, she died. This was utterly ridiculous.

She sighed loudly. All sets of eyes in class turned to her. She looked around and lowered her gaze. She had interrupted Myrtle during her speech, which she continued promptly. He wasn’t present, not now or throughout the rest of the day. This put her greatly on edge. Was he avoiding her now? He couldn’t do it forever, they were under the same roof and he would have to come out eventually.

And eventually after another day he did. And they locked eyes, innumerous times, and he always would practice the disappearing act right after. Mallory had had it. She marched towards the bedroom he shared with William. She nearly ripped the door off its’ hinges.

“Hey! Privacy! What the hell?” William said as he hurriedly finished putting a shirt on.

“Where’s Michael?” Mallory asked calmly.

“I don’t know…” He said staring at the floor. Terrible, terrible liar, Mallory thought.

“Why has he been avoiding me?” She pressed.

“I don’t know. But it’s true he has been acting weirder than usual lately.” William said as he finished making the bow of his shirt.

Mallory stared at him in silence.

“Look, he went to the balcony upstairs. Some girl wanted to talk to him alone.” William looked at her, almost expectantly.

“What?” She asked when he lingered for too long.

“Nothing, it’s just, I thought… You might’ve had a bigger reaction…or…” He paused and once he saw she was looking at him with narrowed eyes he continued. “You know what? Maybe I’ll just shut up now.”

Mallory eyed him a bit longer and then turned on her heel and left.

 

***

 

The girl droned on, but he kept looking at everything but her face. He eyed the garden, the trees, the green grass, the blue sky, anything was more interesting than what he suspected her motives were. Did he even still remember her name?

“Michael I just wanted to say how much I admire you…” He silenced her bringing one finger to her lips.

“I don’t think you’ll have much time for that.” Confusion flooded her face.

He could feel the aura of her power across the whole academy, it is how he had been avoiding her so effectively. And as sure as he was, Mallory came into full view as she rounded the corner of the building. She held the crook of her arm with her hand and looked at him expectantly.

“We’ll talk later.” He said not breaking eye-contact with Mallory, not even for a second. The girl almost tried to rebut but she saw it was a lost cause and left.

He had dreaded this encounter for days on end, yet having the blessing of seeing her made him waver on his decision. He did not even know if he was worthy of facing her anymore. What Meade had done to her… he could never fix that. And he could never kill Meade, she was everything he had, and now… The only thing he did was push her away, he couldn’t forgive her after what she did to Mallory. And he couldn’t bear it if she was to be trialed and burned.

So he evaded Mallory at all costs, in shame. And had no clue of what to do next, he was completely directionless without Meade by his side, and his father told him nothing, no matter how much he begged for guidance or even a breadcrumb of a way to follow or just a confirmation of his presence by his side.

Now looking at her stance, how she grounded herself, at her eyes, how certainty ad fury oozed out of them, he was sure he was ready to reap what he had sown, ready to be left again in total darkness.

“I know Michael. I know you are the antichrist. And I just…” Her voice broke. “I just need to know why you want to make the apocalypse happen.” Her eyes searched his.

This was not what he had expected at all. He scoffed, it was almost as if a prank was being played on him. It was already dreadful enough as it was, but _her_ knowing everything, for some reason it crushed him. But then again, it wasn’t the first time she had touched on the subject, she had cryptically talked about it before, but he had never taken her seriously. _Wrong move_.

Somehow he could feel a little flame of hope burning up in his chest, that clearly had been the reason why she was so cold in the beginning, and if she had known all along, maybe there was hope. Hope for what he couldn’t tell, but it made him genuinely happy. _It was wrong_. Everything was _wrong_. Every time he had left himself be happy, he always knew how it ended.

“I…” Words faltered him. “People either love me with devotion or hate with all their contempt and disgust. I’m darkness, I’m filth, and I’m damned no matter what.” The words reverberating in his chest made his anger simmer.

“Is that what you believe in?” She said in a breathless whisper.

“It’s what you people made me believe and never forget.” And his eyes were a blue storm that didn’t seem enough to frighten her.

“Everyone that has loved me has ended up leaving me.” He says while a hot tear rolls across his face. “I have been branded as a lost cause over and over again. I always end up fucking everything up.” Mallory could tell he was remembering everything he was speaking. “But if I do my father’s bidding, then I’ll show it to everyone, how anyone can be a lost cause and just as hateful as…” He can’t bring himself to finish the sentence.

She walked towards him and when she reached for his face, he flinched away at the same time, her hand fell at her side.

“I never asked for your pity.” He whispered coldly.

“No.” She said, feeling a knot form on her throat. “You just wanted to be loved.”

It was like she had punched him with her words, his breath hitched on his throat sharply. But he needed to control himself, what she said did not matter.

“I’m not meant for that.” He said voice trembling.

“Bullshit.” She said angrily. Her eyes were dark pools whirling violently. “Why couldn’t you face me all these days?” She inquired, now, softly.

He closed his eyes, it was just too painful.

“I couldn’t kill her ok? I just…” He looked at her pleadingly.

“You love her too much to bear it.” She whispered.

When she tried to step closer, he stepped immediately back.

“It doesn’t matter Mallory.” He said trying to regain some composure. “You don’t want to be my friend, and you don’t want to kill me either, despite everything. So what do you want?”

This was it, he was giving her an out. Clean cut. No turning back. Take it or leave it. And he already knew how it would turn out, he had been burned too many times by now to not to. Hope seemed to pester him no matter how hard he had tried to squash every little seed that had tried to take ground on his heart.

But he was wrong.

She grabbed the lapels of his jacket and hoisted herself up to his level, and then leaned in, their breaths mingling, his eyes fluttering down but still watching her every movement. Her lips crashed on his, he had to grab the railing first to regain balance, before he could grab her by the waist and flush her against him.

If it was only for today that the sun had risen from the west and would set in the east, than he would take it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for waiting so patiently.  
> Fluff chapter ahead :3 (and maybe more...). But it will also take some time.


	7. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

She couldn’t help but to smile despite herself, he was staring at her adoringly across the garden as Coco kept droning on about the latest drama she had caught wind of. Mallory and Michael were gazing at each other, as if no one else was there, even if their whole class was. They kept eyeing the expression the other was making, being sure to not miss a single change, even though they should be keeping their attention elsewhere. They couldn’t hear the laughter, the conversations and whispers people were making or the birds chirping or the wind rustling the leaves, because they could not bother with it.

For Michael it was like his personal sun was radiating warmly at him every time he glanced over at Mallory. For Mallory it was like the moon had descended from the sky and bathed her in its’ mysterious rays of light every time she and Michael locked eyes. She couldn’t help being entranced by his light, it made her feel special, but he also kept holding his enigmatic shadows. He couldn’t help craving her warmth, it made him feel like he could do all the good in the world, but she also kept her mist of doubt, he could tell.

Mallory remembered, how she had woken up in a bland mood, had showered than dressed up. And right then when she opened the door with Coco right behind her back she saw him. Michael was leaning in the opposite wall, hands in his pockets, he had been eyeing the floor, but now his attention was on her, and her only. Mallory couldn’t help taking in the way his uniform fit him just right on his lean body, or the way the light that filtered in made his hair almost golden and his eyes almost translucent. It was like she was seeing him for the first time, there was no stuff that nightmares were made of this time, but perhaps some rose-tinted glasses were on.

Before she could fully turn back to Coco, after spending a good part of her time eyeing Michael and him knowing it and giving her an upturned brow and a satisfied smile back, Coco simply almost threw her out of their bedroom and shut the door behind her as quickly as humanly possible. Mallory eyed the white wooden door for a minute shaking her head and turned back to Michael. Seeing him up close was making her feel things she thought she would never ever feel for him on any lifetime. But worse, her thoughts were all jumbled. She thought about their conversation, but what kept popping up in her head was the kiss, over and over again.

Why couldn’t this be easier? Couldn’t she just have fallen head over heels for a cute blond blue-eyed picture perfect bone structure non-antichrist boy? He just wanting to be loved resonated deeply inside of her, it was the most basic wish anyone had. And besides, he saved her, when he owed her nothing. She just needed to make him give up, that is if she was enough to make him give up on the promise Satan himself had made him. Could he renounce it all? Would he do it?

“Why are you here?” She breathed out low.

He smiled shyly and looked down at his shoes, hands now behind his back, before locking eyes with her.

“Want to go to classes together?”

She could’ve swore that her heart would jump out of her body when he finished that sentence and her face wouldn’t bare any longer the stupid grin that had formed by itself. She vowed right then and there she would do anything she could to beat Satan at his own game and keep Michael safe, even from himself if needed be.

“Mallory…?”

“Yes.” She replied instinctively without first seeing who it was that spoke.

“Are you done eye-fucking across the courtyard?” Madison questioned.

Once her eyes fell on Madison’s she swallowed dryly, and looked at the floor.

“I want all of you inside the classroom in the next fifteen minutes.” Madison said loudly to everyone present, and turned on her heel and left.

 _I’m not exactly being subtle, huh?_ Mallory thought somberly.

 

***

 

Each class they have they don’t say anything, and they keep themselves apart from each other, but it’s there, lingering, the feeling that they know they are in the presence of each other. And it’s comforting, and exciting, and warm. But by the last class they can only count the minutes for it to end, they had barely had any time between them to even properly talk.

But once it does end, Michael wordlessly laces his fingers with hers and guides her to the balcony. And they just stand there, one hand on the railing and the other holding each other’s hand. They are not looking at one another, they are simply seeing the last orange rays of sun disappearing in the horizon. And just then she chuckles and it becomes a full laugh next, a perfect ringing among the stillness that enveloped them.

Michael directed his attention to her, adoring her mood but not without questioning the sudden change. Mallory kept looking straight ahead, and shook her head as her laugh died down. She sighed.

“This is ridiculous.” She said, and felt Michael tense beside her, and he squeezed her hand ever so lightly. “You and I… I would’ve never ever in a million years…”

“Have guessed you would be falling for the antichrist?” He said his tone low and neutral.

Mallory turned to him now, her hand reaching his face, he leaned in immediately, closing his eyes as he did so. She felt her heart being wonderfully tugged by its’ tiny strings and she reveled in it.

“I would have never guessed I would be this happy with you by my side.” She whispered, as if praying for it to be kept that way.

Michael let go of her hand in favor of lacing both of his around her waist.

“But how did you find out that I was the antichrist?”

Mallory’s smile faltered for a split second, and then a shadow crossed her features.

“I might have had a glimpse of a possible future.” She offered, it crushed her that she had to lie to him, but she could not predict what type of reaction he would have if she told him what he had done and what had already happened. Besides the time continuum itself could be at stake if she revealed what could be yet to come, not that she would let that happen, especially now.

“And I think I can take a guess on why you haven’t told Cordelia or the others?” He said raising an eyebrow playfully.

Mallory leaned in to him, putting her arms around his neck.

“Bold of you to assume.” She said back smiling teasingly.

Michael’s hands were now circling her waist, and one of them moved up her spine slowly, as they locked eyes, before resting at the nape of her neck as he descended towards her, his face casting shadows over hers. His lips connected with hers gently, but eagerly at the same time. One of her hands slipped to the side of his face cradling him, while the other was tangled on the golden silk of his hair, tugging here and there for his slight responses.

 

***

 

And then the weeks were blissful summer days coated with the dew of spring and a fire the color of an array of autumn leaves in her soul and the last days of winter in his heart.

 

***

 

Mallory surveys the room, everyone is chatting happily. It’s nighttime by now, and Cordelia and the rest of the school staff are dining elsewhere, away from all the students. She can’t help but draw in a sigh. By now there are already groups of people formed, and pairs. She is more affected by the latter. She _envies_ them, and how normal and easy they get everything. They get to be happy without any worry other than the ones that come naturally, but still. She almost wished she could’ve fallen for anyone else.

Almost. But he enters the room and it’s almost as if his presence alone commanded their attention. And Mallory wasn’t blind to the reaction the pretty girls and the handsome boys had as he simply walked in. But she couldn’t resent them for that, had she met Michael for the first time under other circumstances and she would be another one in the crowd.

He gave her a dazzling smile as he sat opposite of her. By now everyone knew how it worked, no matter where she were, he made sure to be in the vicinity if not right next to her. And she gave him one of her brilliant smiles.

Everyone also knew how much of their time was spent ogling each other, that is, if they were in the presence of other people, and the rumor was that that was the only way they kept it PG, any and each time they weren’t around at the same time could only mean one thing.

 

***

 

He looked at her as if she had hung the moon and the stars, and she looked at him as if he had made the sun and the clouds, and they both looked at each other as if their words made love itself blossom out of them.

 

***

 

It was, at the bare minimum, childish. At worst, it was corny as hell, but he could live with it, in fact, if she kept smiling so sweetly he would devour entire books just to make sure he had seen all of her lovely expressions to each combination of words.

He couldn’t help himself, he was _ravenous_ for her attention and needed to shower her with his at any opportunity he got. He craved for their connection. So during classes, one day, he made a note appear in her desk. Now, they kept exchanging them.

They would say nothing, and they would say anything, and they meant everything all at the same time. It made his heart almost burst at the seams and being warm and fuzzy was everything he had known after Mallory.

Even if she knew who he was, what he was, she hadn’t pulled back. And now he found himself giving all the possible excuses to not go forth with his father’s plan. Mallory had made all his anger go away. And now she had made him not only fall in love with her, but also care for what she cared. He couldn’t bare it if he ever hurt her, and more than that he couldn’t afford to go without her now, or ever.

 

***

 

If he were thunder, she was rain, but if she was rain he would rather be the flowers that drank her up like sacred water.

 

***

 

She smiled and shouted and applauded like everyone else in the room. Were they in opposite teams? Yes, after all she was the next supreme and he was the alpha, balance was needed. But did that prevent her from cheering Michael on? Not even the slightest.

She was _proud_ of him. And how much he was caring for something he had otherwise disregarded completely had she not encouraged him into doing it. Yes, it was a silly wizard game, but it counted for their grades. And even if Mallory was atop of her game, he kept himself at bare minimum if no one challenged him, and no one did, except for her.

And as much as she cheered, he would playfully test her as much as he could, but have no damage done. He was making sure they were the last two standing, no matter how much Mallory had given enough openings to be thrown off game.

The game ended first with snow, then with fire and finally with rain. And both of them smiling stupidly at each other. Mallory found that being tired and content was a very satisfying mood to be in.

 

***

 

She was flower petals in a whirlwind, blessed by white feathered angels. He was flower thorns trickling red, cursed by black horned demons. But they weren’t a black and white film, together they were blinding technicolor.

 

***

 

Michael loved the way she unceremoniously clung to him now. Warm sunny days under the tall trees laying on their picnic towel was everything he wanted and did not know he did. The domesticity of it was so comforting and soothing, even if the mere opportunity of having Mallory at arms’ length was enough for that. That _idleness_ and at the same time restlessness for being so close to her and being able to feel her warmth was a potent combination that made Michael think that was heaven on earth.

In the late afternoon they would hold hands and they would wander aimlessly through the garden. No direction was needed if all they wanted was to get lost in each other. They would talk, and they would laugh, and she would beam so brilliantly that he would be lost for a moment both trying to engrave that moment in his brain and at the same time trying to make sure to remember what made her have that same reaction.

They would also, on occasion, after their picnics dance. She would twirl herself around, black draping fabric moving around in every direction. And he loved the way she laughed without any care, and she could live with that, because she love the way his whole face would lit up, and how his strong arms would grab her in place and every twirl was rewarded with a shower of kisses.

 

***

 

They were neither good nor evil, they were souls drifting across a shadowy path and a bright one, until they met. And now they were all the light and all the dark that each needed.

 

***

 

She couldn’t calm him down no matter what, he was _furious_ and so was she. It had been completely unnecessary the way he had reacted. Just because a Hawthorne boy had tried to make a pass at her in his drunken stupor, Michael had almost gotten fully unhinged. He knew it was bad, he had been inside closed doors with Cordelia for more than an hour. And Mallory had seen the guilt on his face for a quarter of a second when she had been called out to talk about the incident as well.

After leaving the room they didn’t talk, Michael simply bolted away from her and she watched him until he disappeared in the hallway. She now stood in the living room. Alone. Sitting by the piano with her head hung low. She gave a sidelong glance at the paintings of the previous supremes. They might’ve had their problems during their era, but dealing with and alpha should count as whole other level. She touched the far end keys of the piano making a low awful jumbled sound. She thought that’s exactly how she felt.

Before she could see him, she heard the familiar almost soundless pattern of his shoes hitting the hardwood floorboards. He stood by the entrance for some time, as if gathering his courage before fully entering the living room and going straight to the place where she stood. He was right behind her, not saying a word he let his arm fall over hers, intentionally, slowly. Even if she felt the soft material of his shirt she also felt the warmth that irradiated from him. Then he played a single key guiding her hand with his. Then he played some more keys and she recognized the classical melody.

She looked back at him, his face so close, it casted shadows over her, but she like how his eyes almost glimmered like that.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered lowly.

“Are you really?”

He sat next to her, staying at her level now. He first smiled but then quickly hid it, he knew she was mad and it wasn’t the time to crack jokes.

“I’m not good at this.” He said gesturing to the empty space between them. ”But I’m trying. And I’m _really_ trying to keep myself in check.”

He said remembering every time he had been tempted to go over the edge. It was as if his father knew that he just needed to screw up badly enough to lose Mallory easily. What he did not know was how much Michael wanted this to work, and how far he would go to keep her by his side.

Mallory sighed and leaned on his shoulder, grabbing his arm and enveloping her fingers in his. He kissed the top of her head, and they stayed like this.

 

***

 

Blue eyes searched brown eyes, brown eyes bore into blue eyes. Everything was bright and blue, but everything was also brown and bewitching. They were sacred and sinful and they belonged to each other like fire to a flame, like ice to the snow.

 

***

 

He stayed arms crossed behind his back, observing. And as much as he did survey the whole scene, he could still feel eyes watching his every move. No matter how long it had been, they still suspected him. But he was sure they still did not knew about his true nature, so they could suspect all they wanted, as long as they didn’t kept digging around.

They were all in the school courtyard gathered around the fountain that existed on the grounds. Misty Day had joined them as one of the students now that she felt a slight surge of power, but she was still very frail and more than that she was still afraid. But she, much like Mallory, grounded herself on Cordelia’s words and guidance, even if the way she looked at Cordelia now had a different glint.

Zoe was the teacher present, she was going to teach them aquakinesis today. She started by explaining how to produce a sphere of water and how to manipulate it. The class is divided, very few want to go first, so Michael wordlessly approaches the fountain encircling it with the other students being one of the first. There are a few incidents and splashes but all in good fun. The Mallory, Misty and Coco go last with the remaining students. Coco is able to take a single droplet and move it around, she was beyond happy. Mallory, much like himself, makes a whole swan form out of water and circle the fountain time and time again, whereas he went for a flashier giant snake that lifted itself up towards the sky and that splashed nearly half the class around the fountain and poor Zoe had to make a shield to protect herself. It was Misty’s turn she was able to lift a considerable globe of water, she smiled widely, but it started to shake dangerously. Mallory tries to guide her in vain, it’s like a curtain of water falling precariously all over her. Misty is mortified.

Michael almost jumps out of the place he had been standing on, he goes quickly to Mallory’s side.

“Are you ok, Mal?” He says as he takes is jacket off and throws it around her shoulders.

Zoe dismisses the class almost immediately and tells everyone to go dry themselves, the ones that needed it. Some people still linger around giving Mallory curious looks, but Coco intervenes.

“Let’s move it people, you heard the teacher. And if Mallory needs help Michael is here. So let’s go!” She said commandingly. And no one dared stay back.

Mallory chuckled softly as the commotion vanished.

“Mal?”

“You asked me if I was ok, wasn’t it?” She said, and he felt at the same time the pull of her magic, and before he could think what to do he was already falling backwards into the fountain.

As he resurfaced and coughed some water, Mallory went on.

“Well, now I am.” And she smiled with pure glee.

Then he got up and hoisted her form the ground with his arms as she tried to fight back and into the water. They mercilessly threw water at each other and laughed freely until they got tired. And now she was in his arms breathing heavily with her eyelids low looking intently at his lips. And he merely obliged, lips clashing and tongues meeting at a leisure pace and yet always coming for more. The moment they parted and he started kissing her neck Mallory pushed him back. And as they both caught their breath he understood the look she gave him.

She guided him by the hand, they entered the school drenching all the floor through their path. As they walked the steps Michael realized his heart was beating wildly and it was not from the exertion at the fountain. But he put it behind him squeezing Mallory’s hand.

They got to her bedroom door and she opened it unceremoniously closing it with the key as soon as he went through. He looked at her as she slowly paced into the center of the room, letting go of his hand. Then she smiles at him fondly and he hears the sound of the zipper of her dress, and she peels it off of her, falling at her feet. He doesn’t quite know what to say or do, or if this is even real or he’s just having one of his good dreams.

She walked towards him purposefully and she cradled his face in her hands her eyes skimming every inch before she hoisted herself and kissed him slowly and tenderly, tasting him. He _desired_ her, he always had, but now he could barely contain himself. Soon they were a jumbled mess stumbling into the bed, and later they were soft kisses splayed here and there, wandering hands and little sighs, names like prayers and loud moans.

“Michael?”

“Yes?” He said lazily as he combed her hair with his fingers.

She laid atop of him, head on his chest.

“Can you promise me one thing?”

“Anything.” He answered immediately.

Even if they had just made love for the first time, Mallory’s cheeks burned bright red almost immediately as he uttered those words.

She perched herself up to look him in the eyes.

“Promise me you won’t go through with the apocalypse.”

“I promise you, I won’t go through with the apocalypse.”

“So… you renounce your father?”

“If it means I can be with you until the end of my life? Then yes, I’ll renounce him a thousand times over if it needs be.”

She leaned down and kissed him languidly.

 

***

 

There was no sky, no earth, no heaven or hell, for once, it was just them.

 

***

 

He had never been happier. She had never been surer. They were both _greedy_ for each other, and for that, they would do anything in their power to be together. Even if she had to go toe to toe with Satan himself. Even if he had to renounce his own nature and everything that was his by birthright. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Am I dead? Not yet, so do not worry :)  
> Anyway, just wanted to say we do not cover any insurance against cavities.  
> And if you are still reading this fic, thank you so much <3 you guys are awesome!!


	8. Man of sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter ahead.

As Mallory descended the staircase she was almost barreled by Zoe, she grabbed her forearms urgently.

“I need you to come with me now.” She said in a hushed tone, almost dragging her back up the stairs.

Once they settled in an empty room, Zoe wasn’t facing her she looked everywhere but her, she seemed to be gathering up her courage.

“Mallory, everyone has noticed how close you have become with Michael.” Mallory was going to intervene but Zoe stopped her. “There’s something you should know. Cordelia got a lead, and Madison and Behold both went last night to the house where Michael grew up in.”

Mallory’s stomach filled with dread. She barely heard what Zoe said next.

“And Madison called me some time ago, and you should know…”

“I’m sorry Zoe, I truly am.” Mallory said, tears forming in her eyes.

Then she uttered the words of a memory erasing spell.

She made her forget the phone call. And after that she wiped away her tears and put on her best fake smile as Zoe came to, she started to talk energetically about the last assignment she had given and both left the room.

“This is way worse than what Cordelia thought.” Madison said as she and John Henry emerged from the darkness of the room. As soon as Mallory and Zoe’s steps were heard, she and John Henry had disentangled themselves from each other and hidden away as Mallory and Zoe’s conversation played out.

 

***

 

Mallory entered Cordelia’s office. Everyone was there, the whole council, both Myrtle and Zoe, and both Hawthorne’s teacher’s Behold and John Henry, alongside Misty, Queenie and Madison.

Mallory felt her throat getting dry.

“You really fucked up this time bitch.” Madison prefaced.

She sat down for the most excruciating minutes she had been through in so long. They talked about Madison and Behold’s visit to Michael’s home and how they had found out he was the antichrist. And then Queenie, John Henry and Madison intervened talking about the time Michael had insinuated to Mallory they should kill Cordelia, and how Mallory had erased Zoe’s memory.

Mallory could face no one, tears fell freely down her face.

“You don’t understand.” She said weakly.

Just about everyone in the room was ready to jump her on that sentence, but Cordelia shut them all up with one look.

“We might not understand, but there’s someone I’d like you to talk to.”

 

***

 

As they got into a lower level in the school, Mallory’s eyes fell immediately in the only leaving thing in the whole room, caged up. _Miriam Meade_.

The door closes behind them, and Cordelia encourages her to approach her, while herself hung back, giving her space, and some kind of privacy. Mallory approached her wearily, even if she was behind bars she hadn’t forgotten their last encounter.

“Look what the cat dragged in.” Meade croaked, creepy smile plastered on.

“I’m not here to argue with you.” Mallory said, trying to control her voice to the best of her ability.

“No, you are here to know what kind of monster Michael is.”

Mallory stepped closer without thinking, almost ready to throw her jail door open just so she could get nearer. Her nerves were all a jumbled mess that made her ready to pounce at any minute, a ticking bomb of sorts on its’ last seconds.

“You are not saying he’s not a monster, that’s _good_.” Meade said, and Mallory thought she could see a glimpse of understanding in her eyes for a split second.

“You know the first time I laid my eyes on him I thought he was just a lost little boy, but was I wrong… He is a bringer of a new age. He has done it all, since he was a small little child, he started with animals, then his own nanny, and even a priest when his grandmother thought an exorcism would fix him. Nothing can fix him. He was born for another kind of greatness. And not even _you_ could do _anything_ about it!” She shouted.

Tears were streaking down Mallory’s face. It was the only response she was able to have.

Meade chuckled.

“He even ate the heart of a pretty girl, she would have been the same age as you are right now. I picked her out myself, poor fool. Much like you.” Meade said eyes boring into hers. “He has always been in way too deep Mallory, you didn’t save any soul you just delayed the inevitable.”

Mallory wanted to shout “no”, she wanted to say it was all wrong, Michael was not what she was saying, he was good. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it, because as much as he had any good in himself, he also was already marred by the evil his father wanted him to spread in the world. He had already killed, he was already walking the path of darkness. Maybe he was already too far gone.

Cordelia led her by the hand out of the room. Once the door closed behind them, Mallory’s knees almost gave out from under her, Cordelia hugged her and she cried and sobbed freely.

“Cordelia…” She said, voice haggard from crying. “I can still do something. I know I can.”

Cordelia looked her in the eye.

“I’m sorry Mallory, you’ve already done enough.”

And then Mallory noticed the dust in her hand.

“No, Cordelia, please.”

 

***

 

The coven gathered around, as Meade burned down. No screams were heard. Only when Michael appeared.

Cordelia offered him a way out, she could still help him, teach him, make him good. He knew she was lying. Mallory was nowhere in sight. Everything was wrong. It was like his life had completely capsized with a little nudge. Like always. What had he expected? A fairytale book ending?

Humans would always be humans, magic powers or no.

He grabbed Cordelia’s arm with more force than necessary, all witches present tensed at the same time.

“Where’s Mallory?” He growled.

“In a safe place away from you. I won’t let you taint her any further.”

“Good. Then she won’t have to see me destroy all of you. And then I’ll find her.”

And true to his promise he came back into the academy as they measly tried to protect it with a spell. He killed everyone in sight with Meade’s robot version by his side.

He went into the last room, Cordelia stood in a circle with Myrtle, Madison, Zoe, Queenie and Misty. They all wore red veils, and as soon as he entered she stuck a dagger through her heart. It shocked him for sure, but he was more annoyed at how displeasing it had been. He had thought of her begging for her life, but Ariel was right, she did resemble Fiona in some capacity.

As all witches lay dead around them, Michael could only think on how he would be able to find her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Two supremes will face each other. As it should be."


End file.
